Clemson previously announced plans to move its MBA program and professional development services into Hughes Development Corp.’sProject One in December. The two-tower, mixed-use development is under construction at the corner of Main and Coffee streets.

Clemson plans to begin construction this spring to upfit its future space in Project One in downtown Greenville. (Photo/Liz Segrist)

Pre-construction services are expected to begin in May and construction will begin in June. All construction is expected to be complete by November. Classes are set to begin Jan. 8, 2014.

Construction is expected to cost around $4.4 million, according to Clemson’s capital project plans, although the Clemson board of trustees budgeted $6.7 million for the upfit.

“We’re excited about the prospect of having a permanent home for our business graduate and professional programs,” said Cathy Sams, Clemson’s chief public affairs officer, in an email. “Being in downtown Greenville has proven to be very successful.”

The approved construction manager would provide pre-construction services and construction management services for the project, which includes the upfit of approximately 71,800 square feet of the One development.

The project will upfit space on floors five through eight of the nine-story north tower. Each floor is approximately 16,425 square feet. Other Clemson spaces in the building include 1,300 square feet on the first floor.

The upfit includes faculty and staff offices, classrooms, meeting rooms, conference rooms, flat-floor auditorium, collaboration space, lobby areas, restrooms, various support spaces and an approximately 4,800-square-foot roof garden and patio on level five.

Infrastructure needs such as HVAC, plumbing, power lighting, life safety systems and finishes will be provided.

Clemson announced plans last year to vacate the Bowater Building, adjacent to Falls Park, and move into Project One. Clemson has no plans to infill its space at Bowater.

Tom Brown, an owner of Easlan Capital, which owns the Bowater Building, previously said there are no defined tenants to take Clemson’s space once it moves to Project One. The university leased 33,355 square feet of space at the Bowater building in 2009, about one-and-a-half floors, when it moved its MBA program to downtown Greenville.

The 96,000-square-foot building also houses Nexsen Pruet and Phillips Staffing. Built in 1992 by Easlan Capital, the building currently has 24,000 square feet available.

“I think the location speaks for itself,” Brown previously said of its viability to secure future tenants in the building that overlooks Falls Park and the Reedy River.

The Clemson University Land Stewardship Foundation purchased the Project One space last year for $5 million and will lease it to the university for $8 per square foot.

“The lease is lower than our current lease at the Falls location and substantially below market rates — and we should see additional energy and maintenance savings since this will be a brand new facility,” Sams said in an email.

LS3P Associates Ltd. is the project architect/engineer for Clemson’s space in Project One, according to Clemson’s documents.